Match packet



Oct. 10, 1944. E E, PEN-[ER 2,360,270

MATCH PACKET Filed arch 1, 1943 i? Hm m ,Z

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. l, 1944 UNiTED sms f gitane Maron packer lEli E.Pentel', Huntington Park, Calii. application March i, iets, serian No.@177,518

(ci. 20c-29) 3 Claims.

The present invention relates particularly to that type of safetymatches commonly produced and used in what are knownas match packets,wherein the match splints are parts of match combs secured in a foldedcover, a portion of which constitutes an opening flap adapted, in theclosed position, to cover the splints and their striking tips or heads.

Commonly, the covers of match packets of the above type, have portionsembracing, and fixed to, the base portions of the combs at the lowerends-oi the'match splints, one of the embracing portions of the coverhaving an external surface coating chemically constituted to causeignition of the coated splint tips or heads by abrasion.

In the use of such packets the cover, after having been opened to permitof detachment of a splint, should be closed While the match is ignited,in order to avoid the danger of communication of ignition to theremaining splints, and though the match packets usually are imprintedwith such instruction, it is, in many instances, overlooked throughcarelessness, and with painful and, in some instances, disastrousresults.

It is plain, and Well known, that the cover of the usual match packetserves a necessary and important safety purpose, in addition to the factthat it provides a surface for the imprinting of advertisements ofvarious character.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a matchpacket in which the splint striking surface or means is so constitutedand arranged as to protect the undetached splints from danger ofignition during ignition of a detached splint, and to thus edectivelyeliminate such danger whether or not the cover is closed whileabrasively igniting a splint, and indeed, whether or not a cover, assuch, is present.

It is further well known that the splint combs ol the common matchpackets are necessarily formed of heavy paper or paper board, eventhough Wood splints are more economical and are superior in use byreason of their greater strength and adaptability to avoid flexure andfracture during striking, and their greater rev sistance tothe weakeningeiect of moist air on the more hygroscopic paper. The reason for thecommon use of paper splints is the fact that in the present manufactureof match splints the comb blanks are rst slit to form the splints, andthen alternate splints are laterally bent or offset before passing.through the heading chemical so as to separate the free ends of thesplints whereby individual heads are formed and sufcient chemical isaccumulated on each splint end to provide for quick and efiicientignition.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method andmeans whereby the individual heading of the splints, in the firstinstance, is eliminated, so as to avoid a wedgeshaped packet, which isnow the common result of lateral offsetting of the splints to provideindividual heads, and also to do away with the usual step of laterallyosetting the splints, and to permit of the use oi wood splints in theplace of paper splints wherever it may be desirable for any reason to dothis. The result of the present invention is a match packet which may beof the same thickness from end to end, in order to pack effectivelywithout alternate re versal of the packets, and which may be safely usedwithout the necessity of opening and closing a cover flap.

The best mode thus far devised for carrying the invention into practicaleffect is shown in the accompanying drawing, and will now be describedin detail in reference thereto. In the drawing, which forms a part ofthis speciiication:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a comb blank, which may be eitherpaper or wood.

Figure 2 is a similar View of the blank after it has, during the nextstep rof manufacture, passed through the heading chemical to form athin, deep coating continuously along one edge portion thereof.

Figure 3 is another similar view, showing the next step which consistsin partially slitting the blank to form the splints, the slits beingextended through the coating applied in the previous step.

Figure 'l is another similar view of a complete match packet, embodyingall of the essentials of safety according to the present invention, andincluding splints and splint combs produced in accordance with thepresent method.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the possible use of side cover`members for printing and advertising matter.

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the assembly oiFigure 5, taken substantially on line 6 6 oi said gure.

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of holding thepacket of Figure d while striking a match splint.

Figure 8 is a similar view showing a modified and simplified packet, and

Figure 9 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view takensubstantially on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Referring :now to the above ilgures, and starting with a. thinrectangular blank it, as in Figure 1, which may be of either paper orwood, the method according to the present invention, proposes thepassing of one edge portion of the blank I it through a head formingchemical so as to form a coating of such. material on said edge portion,as indicated at ii in Figure 2. This step ispreferably regulated, as bygoveriing the speed of the coating operation, and the consistency lofthe heading chemical, so that the coating is evenly thinly and uniformlyalong .the sides of the blank adjacent the coated edge, and extends fora substantial distance from said edge to pro 'theopposite edge of theblank. so that a comb' I3 will be formed in which the splints I4 andtheir heads I5 will be in a single line and in the,

same plane with one another and with the base IB, or unsiitted edgeportion of the blank. Due to this, the splint heads will remain, untilremoved\ for striking, in sidewise or lateral abutting relation so as tomutually cooperate to avoid ready distortion of the comb.Furthermore,since there has been no offsetting of the splints toinitially form individual heads, it is obvious a wood blank may be usedwhich is thinner -than would be. -necessary if formed of paper.

Having thus formed thel combs, a two-comb packet, as indicated in Figure4, may be assembled with the two combs I3 separated along their bases I6by a separator strip I1, and with binding strips I8 along the outerportions of the bases IB. The binding strips I8, comb bases IB andseparator'strip I1 may be glued, cemented or otherwise secured to oneanother as by means of members completely covering the outer sides ofthe combs. However, in the event such cover members are used, it is only1 for advertising or' like'purDOses, since the protection afforded bythe Vstriking groove Il substantially eliminates any necessity forfurther protection of the undetached splints.'

It is also possible, -as seen in Figures 8 and 9, to do away with thebinding strips Il of Figure 4, by so connecting the bases It! of thecombs IS", to the separatorstrip I1, that their lower edges projectbelow the separator strip and form extensions 24. By chamfering theinner surfaces of the extensions 24, a tapering striking groove 2I- isformed, the lower edge 'of the separator strip and the inner surfaces ofthe chamfered extensions being coated with a striking chemical, 'as seenat 2l. This form of the invention presents a packet of utmostsimplicity, stripped of non-essentials, and ,well adapted to serve anypurpose for which a safety matchpacket is ordiv narily used, except thatof advertising. Even in the latter respect, matter printed directly onthe blank of each comb may well serve for limited advertising.

`The method and construction thus shown and described offers greatadvantages in practical use, notv only in the manufacture of the matchpackets, and the combs thereof, but in effectiveness as regards certainand safe ignition in use and convenience and economy not only inpackaging for sale. but convenience ofthe substantiallya penetratingclip I9, and it is obvious that the thickness of the strips-I1 and I8may easily be such that the complete packet will be as thick at its baseportion as at the splint heads. Thus the packets may be effectivelyboxed or packaged vwithoutalternate reversal, as with the usualwedge-shaped packets, and packing space, in this way, economized.

As a further and important feature of the invention, permitting thepacket of Figure 4 to be complete without the necessity of a cover, itwill be noted that the outer bindingstrips I8 have free edges lengthwisethereof, projecting beyond the confined corresponding edges Vof the combbases I6 and the separator strip I1, as indicated at 2d, so as to formbetween the extensions 20, a striking groove 2I. Within this groove 2i,the end surfaces of the combs I3 and separator strip Il, as Well as theinner surfaces of the binding strip extensions l2li, there is applied acoating, as at 22, of a chemical striking material against which thehead of a detached splint may be ig-l nited by friction as it is drawnlengthwise of, and within, the groove. The igniting head will, at thesame time, be so isolated with respect to the remaining undetachedsplints of the combs of the packet, that the latter will be protectedfrom danger of accidental ignition, since the groove 2| opens away fromthe headed ends of the undetached splints.

l Further eiective protection may be afforded by holding the packet withits undetached splints covered in the hand as in Figure 7, and with thestriking groove 2I uppermost in convenient position for striking adetached splint, but this is merely anextra precaution, and is not byany means an essential as that of the closing of the cover flap of anordinary match packet.

If it is desirable, for advertising or other printed matter, the bindingstrips I8 of the comb assembly of Figure 4, may be replaced by sidecover members 2l, as in Figures 5 and 6, such uniformlyfiat packerl whencarried in the pocket or purse.

Having thus fully is claimed is:

1. A match packet, consisting of a pair of parallel splint combsincluding opposingly connected base portions, each having a series ofupstanding splints with striking heads at their upper free ends remotefrom said base portions, the said base portions having chamfered lowerfacing edges forming a groove between and along the same', and afriction striking material on one or more of the chamfered surfaces orwalls of said groove.

2. A match packet comprising a pair of opposing, substantially parallelsplint combs, each comb including a base portion in a single. piece, anda series .o f splints upstanding from said base portion and. havingupper striking heads, the splints and heads of each comb beingrespectively alined, land a separator strip -disposedbetween and rigidlyconnected to, said base portions, with its lower edge in verticallyspaced, substantially parallel relation above the lower edges of saidbase portions, to thus form with the latter edges a groove along thebottom of the packet, of the width of said strip, opening away from thesplint heads, and a friction igniting material on one or more of thewalls of said groove.

i 3. A match packet comprising a' pair of opposing splint combs, eachcomb comprising a base disclosed the invention, what portion in a singlepiece and a series of splints upstanding from said base portion andhaving upper striking heads, a separator strip disposedbetween, andconnected to, said base portions of

